The association had their own building.  He had a corner office on the top floor – wall-to-wall windows on two sides that were nearly floor-to-ceiling, with a great view.  Nice big conference table right in his office.  The kitchen was a couple floors down, but, hey, maybe they could move that.

Anyway, everything’s rosy, right?  Lots of challenges, but we always have those in IT:  The association management system (AMS) was on the cusp of a major upgrade (huge – the vendor was even completely re-titling the product), and there were some staff currency/training issues.  Ah, those are routine – always someone who needs this class or that, or a boot to get current.

But over the first weeks and months he discovered something very bad:  The “senior” programmer… um… didn’t do anything.  I mean, she didn’t do anything… IT related.  Oh, she had her routine.  She floated around the building, making her rounds and chatting.  She attended meetings.  She contributed in the sense that she always had an opinion – generally not worth anything, but she liked to sound officious.

What was happening was that she passed any work that came to her, to a junior programmer – always the same guy.  This man was very milquetoast, and didn’t speak up.  He was overloaded, but he suffered on, afraid to speak up.  How long had this been going on?  My colleague couldn’t know, but he knew that the senior programmer’s skills had completely atrophied to the point where she literally couldn’t contribute in the modern environment.

The IT Director did what any responsible supervisor would do:  He counseled the senior programmer.  He directed her to schedule herself for training.  When she didn’t, he selected an initial course, and directly told her to enroll in it.  She didn’t.  He then talked to his boss about things, and was told to “handle it.”  Next step?

The timing yielded an opportunity to document things in a formal review – it was due.  He drafted things very carefully, and overall, the review was quite accurate – but generally negative.  It had to be if it was going to be a true review.  He was directed by the Deputy Executive Director of the organization (the #2 person) to re-write it.  He did so under protest.  It still had a mild version of the need for training, and stepping up, and making a more robust contribution.  But it really wasn’t motivating.  She did not change.

Why change?  She had political cover, as it turns out, in the organization.  It also turned out that she had wanted the IT Director position.  She felt it was her due, and that she had been denied.

After enough time had passed to make his resume look good, my colleague left the organization – for a better org, a better position, and a better salary.

Meantime, the organization suffered a situation whereby their in-house programmers could not keep up with the AMS, its mods, and its progressions.  The org also lagged in its infrastructure upgrades.  The Network Manager, a great asset, left and was replaced with a lesser person.  Other quality personnel left, women and men of character and quality,who were difficult to replace…

Their IT shop is now pretty lousy.  It’s propped up with expensive outside counsel and support players.

One bad apple can spoil the whole bunch.  To the senior executive class, directors, managers, supervisors:  Rate fairly, accurately, and ferret out those who do not serve.

Lead by example, and hold those you rate accountable.  Praise and promote those who are due.

Maintaining and balancing an IT department and its service to business is not always easy, but it is absolutely necessary.

Ok, it’s really only Part IV.  I promise, this is the last part of this series.  (We’ll follow on with a quick “IT Deficit” article – just to be fair – in the next days.  Also, please see Parts I, II, and III, below, if you haven’t already).

But this is very important, especially for SMB:  How many IT departments are producing reports from end-user applications that should be produced by someone in the business element?  How many IT departments are orienting incoming hires for entrenched business software – the specific use of which is better explained by someone that is in the business department making the hire?  (IT can concentrate on security orientations).  How many IT departments are breaking out, coding and tracking mobile connectivity charges for business?  Aren’t those an administrative duty better performed by someone in Finance or the actual departments?  I’ve seen all of the above, and have set a number of organizations on a more efficient footing…

In other words, look for situations where “filing cabinets” have been delivered, but where the duty of “filing” is not being effectively picked up out in the business arena.  Making effective use of technology is a profit-enhancing lever, and the user community needs to “file” effectively.  Do what is necessary: deliver training, place the expectation, and let Business set up and run their “filing cabinets.”  This frees IT to fulfill its obligations in other rapidly expanding arenas – Security, to name one.  Content Management to name another.  Planning and fulfillment on future, accelerating, business and technical requirements to name more.  Let’s look at one additional example on the Business side of the equation before we look at some IT challenges.

A Business Deficit

Recently, a business director approached to introduce himself to me.  After his name, his very first words were “I’m ‘computer-illiterate’.”  He went on to explain that he would be IT’s “best customer” because he required frequent help.  He joked of being proud on mornings when he could just remember how to turn his computer on.  He had a smile on his face, and he most likely thought that his confessed ignorance would be seen as a friendly, non-threatening, sign.  But, it was dismaying – as his ‘illiteracy’ turned out to be true.

He was also positioned critically; his department relied on external technical subscription services and critical agreements with solutions partners in forwarding the organization’s business.  Working with this person, although he was nice enough, presented difficulties.  So, how is it that, in this new millennium, a person of otherwise high standing still has a comfort level in divulging ignorance regarding Information Technology matters?  For one thing, he possessed power:  He was a C-level executive.  But in this day and age, this ignorance is an extreme limitation for any organization, regarding any job or position. 

Thought of another way: Suppose you approach your CFO – you’re new to the organization.  You’re a department head, a business leader, someone who is expected to set an example – a manager, director, or even a VP.  You smile and make a confession:  “I sure hope I don’t have to prepare or balance any budgets around here – I’m ‘financially-illiterate!’”  In fact, I can’t even balance my own checkbook!  Numbers just aren’t my thing.”

Every organization’s managers are required to maintain budgets and to know how to manage them.  Presumably they are hired with some basic skills:  knowing how to add and subtract, and having some common understandings of basic budgets and the required accounting principles.  Just because a staff member doesn’t work in Finance & Accounting doesn’t mean they’ll never have to perform some nuts-and-bolts finance and accounting.  Likewise, it is not too much to expect that managers and users have some basic computer skills, and specifically, some close-fit skills regarding the organization’s specific applications and tools. 

That expectation is quickly morphing into the outright need that these people understand and promote their own use of technology in its relation to the business.  After all, most people who enter an organization that has a Business-Technology Weave are the sort of people who have computers at home, or have used them in school.  No one is allowed to get away with “computer-illiteracy” any more, or even a stagnant appreciation of technology.  Your organizational culture must evolve to one whereby users and managers are imaginative thinkers when it comes to using and growing the organization’s use of technology.  They should employ the same imagination and judgment when partnering on the use and plan of technology that they use when partnering with Finance on the organization’s budget.

Most of you are there; but I imagine we’ve all dealt with laggards at various strata of the org.  HR needs to sanction and enforce the appropriate expectations for training and all persons’ modern qualifications for occupancy in The Weave.

NP:  Who’s Got Rhythm, Gerry Mulligan/Ben Webster, jazz24.org